Download The Tempest - The Acting Company

Margot Harley
Producing Artistic Director
Stephen Alemán, Director of Education
The Tempest
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Giovanna Sardelli
Get a FREE Poster from
The Acting Company!
See page 23 for info!
Teacher Resource Guide - DRAFT
by Paul Michael Fontana
It is strongly suggested that students read at least some of
The Tempest
before seeing the performance if possible.
Table of Contents
Section 1: Introduction
Page 3
Section 2: Encountering Shakespeare Page 4
Section 3: What to Look for in The Tempest
Page 6
Section 4: The Theater
Page 10
Section 5: What to do After You See This Play
Page 21
Section 6: The Acting Company
Page 24
Section 7: Cast List and Information
Page 25
Section 8: Bibliography
Page 26
Appendix: Reproducibles
Page 27
2
Section 1: Introduction
“They’ll take suggestion as a cat laps milk.”
Antonio, The Tempest, Act 2, scene 1
Thanks for taking some of your classroom time to work on The Tempest! This
play asks the same questions about family relationships, the pursuit of
happiness, and the quest for humanity in a harsh world that we ask today, even
though it was written over 400 years ago. Although your students will enjoy the
play without preparation, the experience can be deepened by some pre- and
post-performance classroom work.
The exercises in this guide are intended to help you and your students get the
most out of the workshop production. Please do not feel that you need to do
everything in this guide! They provide a wide variety of drama-based teaching
techniques that you can use as they are presented or you can adapt for your
class or for other pieces of literature. You can experiment with them and add the
ones that work for you to your “bag of tricks.” I have, toward the end of the
guide, created a 5-class suggested lesson plan arc that you may want to follow in
the days before and after the show.
The education programs of The Acting Company are intended to mirror the
mission of the company itself: to celebrate language, to deepen creative
exploration, to go places where theater isn’t always available. We try to use the
same skills in our outreach programs that actors use in the preparation of a role.
Many of the exercises here are adaptations of rehearsal “games” and
techniques.
In addition to the Teacher Resource Guides for our performances, the Education
Department provides week-long artist-in-residence experiences called Literacy
Through Theater, Actor-driven Workshops and Master Classes, postperformance Question and Answer Sessions, teacher training workshops
called Partners in Education, and a variety of specially-designed outreach
programs for high school students, college students, and adults. The Tempest is
part of The Bob Hope Student Workshop Series, a series of performancebased workshops for young theatergoers meant to introduce them to
Shakespeare.
If you need more information on any of these programs, please call Stephen
Alemán, Director of Education at 212-944-5517 or e-mail him at
[email protected]. We wish to be of service to you and your
students. Please contact us if there is anything we can do for you.
Enjoy the Show!
Paul Michael Fontana
The Acting Company Curriculum Specialist
[email protected]
3
Section 2: Encountering Shakespeare
· Overall Objective: The students will know the facts of the life and career of
William Shakespeare and his continuing impact.
William Shakespeare’s Life
Objective:
· The students will learn about Shakespeare’s life
· The students will write an essay about writing.
· The students will assess what makes a good story and a good play.
Facts: William Shakespeare was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, on or near April
23, 1564. Church records from Holy Trinity Church indicate that he was baptized
there on April 26, 1564. William’s parents were John Shakespeare, a glover and
leather merchant, and Mary Arden.
The next documented event in Shakespeare's life is his marriage to Anne
Hathaway on November 28, 1582. William was 18 at the time, and Anne was 26
– and pregnant. Their first daughter, Susanna, was born on May 26, 1583. The
couple later had twins, Hamnet and Judith, born February 2, 1585 and christened
at Holy Trinity Church. Hamnet died in childhood at the age of 11, on August 11,
1596.
For seven years, William Shakespeare pretty much disappeared from all records,
turning up in London circa 1592. By 1594, he was not only acting and writing for
the Lord Chamberlain's Men (called the King's Men after the ascension of James
I in 1603), but was a managing partner in the operation as well. With Will
Kempe, a master comedian, and Richard Burbage, a leading tragic actor of the
day, the Lord Chamberlain's Men became a favorite London troupe, patronized
by royalty and made popular by the theater-going public. When the plague
forced theater closings in the mid-1590's, Shakespeare and his company made
plans for The Globe Theater in the Bankside District, which was across the river
from London proper. While Shakespeare could not be accounted wealthy, by
London standards, his success allowed him to purchase New House in Stratford
and retire there in comfort in 1611.
When Shakespeare lived in London in the late 1500’s, England was a rich and
powerful nation under the leadership of Queen Elizabeth I. Moreover, the
Theater was thriving! Shakespeare joined a theater company called the Lord
Chamberlain’s Men (which was later known as the King's Men when King James
I took the throne) and was successful as an actor, poet and a playwright. He
wrote 37 plays . In writing his plays, he would often use a plot he already knew or
read about, convert it, add to it, and make it his own. Seven years after his
death, his friends John Hemings and Henry Condell published a book containing
36 of Shakespeare’s plays, called the "First Folio." His work covered many
subjects and styles, including comedies, tragedies, romances, and historical
plays. Shakespeare was a well-loved writer in his lifetime; and now, 400 years
later, he is the most produced playwright in the world.
4
William Shakespeare wrote his will in 1611, bequeathing his properties to his
daughter Susanna (married in 1607 to Dr. John Hall). To his surviving daughter
Judith, he left £300, and to his wife Anne left "my second best bed." This bed is
one of the mysteries of Shakespearean scholarship. William Shakespeare
allegedly died on his birthday, April 23, 1616. This is probably more of a
romantic myth than reality, but Shakespeare was buried at Holy Trinity in
Stratford on April 25, 1616.
Exercise: Each of us knows many stories. In writing his plays, Shakespeare
adapted plots he already knew or had read. Which stories are the students’
favorites? Ask them to choose one story that they have read and write a onepage paper telling why it would make a good play or film. In a discussion after
the assignment, ask the class to assess what makes a good story and what
makes a good performance piece. What elements from their list are in The
Tempest?
5
Section 3: What to Look for in The Tempest
· Overall Objective: The students will have an introduction to the world of
William Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest
Brainstorm from the Title: Shakespeare’s Play
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objective:
· The students will explore the title of Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Exercise: Have the students brainstorm a list of the types of characters,
situations, emotions, themes, locations, and images they think might be included
in a play called The Tempest. Write the list on newsprint. Post it before seeing
The Tempest.
Discussion: Judging a Book by its Cover
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objective:
· The students will discuss their expectations of The Tempest from looking at
the words and images on the cover of the play script.
· The students will discuss the choices made by publishers and executives to
put the images and words on the cover.
Exercise: Bring in copies of the script of The Tempest. Ask the students to look
at the cover of their copy and the other copies in the room.
Ask them to share with the class images on the covers. What function do
those images have? Note too the colors on the cover. What do the colors mean
and why were they chosen? Do these images help sell this edition?
What words did the publishers choose to put on the cover? In what font is
the title of the play? What other words or phrases are on the cover? Do these
words and phrases help sell this edition? Are you more likely to buy a book or
magazine based on images or words? Are there images and words on the back
cover?
Why did Shakespeare choose this title? Did he feel the title would help
sell tickets to the play?
Post Performance follow up: Ask the students to create a poster or book cover
for The Tempest. They can cut images out of magazines and newspapers or
draw them. What words will they include and why?
Characters in The Tempest
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objective
· The students will be familiar with the characters in the play.
· The students will make assumptions about characters based on their names.
Exercise: Reproduce the following page for the class from the Reproducibles in
the Appendix, page 27. Approaching it as if we have never heard anything about
6
these characters, discuss what each of the names makes us feel about them.
From what languages are the names derived? What consonants are featured in
their names? What vowels? Ask the students to play with ways of saying the
names.
Cast of Characters
PROSPERO, the rightful Duke of Milan
MIRANDA, his daughter
ANTONIO, his brother, the usurping Duke of Milan
ALONSO, King of Naples
SEBASTIAN, his brother
FERDINAND, Alonso’s son
ARIEL, an airy spirit attendant upon Prospero
CALIBAN, a savage and deformed native of the island, Prospero’s slave
TRINCULO, Alonso’s jester
STEPHANO, Alonso’s drunken butler
The Plot
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objective:
· The students will discuss their reactions to the plot of The Tempest
· The students will compare the plot to their expectations for the story
Facts: Shakespeare’s plays, including The Tempest, are written in five acts. It is
not known whether, during performances at Elizabethan theaters, there were full
intermissions during these acts, brief musical interludes or if the play went on for
two hours with no pauses.
The Plot
Prospero, a sorcerer and the rightful Duke of Milan, dwells on an enchanted isle
with his daughter, Miranda. Twelve years earlier, the duke's brother, Antonio, and
Alonso, the King of Naples, conspired to usurp his throne. They set Prospero and
Miranda adrift in a boat, and they eventually found themselves marooned on the
island. Prospero is served on his island by Ariel, a spirit who he freed from a tree
with magic, and Caliban, son of the witch Sycorax. When magic reveals that a
ship bearing his old enemies is sailing near the island, Prospero summons a
storm to wreck their ship. The survivors make it to shore in scattered groups.
Among these is Ferdinand, the son of Alonso. He is lulled to Prospero's abode by
the singing of Ariel; there he meets Miranda, who is enthralled with the young
prince.
7
Meanwhile, Antonio, Alonso, Sebastian, and Gonzalo wander the island in
search of Ferdinand. Antonio now plots with Sebastian to murder Alonso, but this
plot is thwarted by Ariel. Elsewhere on the island, Stephano and Trinculo
encounter Caliban. After sharing a few drinks, Caliban tries to enlist the two in a
plot to kill Prospero and rule the island himself. He even promises Miranda to
Stephano. Ariel, however, reports all these goings-on to Prospero. In the
meantime, Miranda and Ferdinand pledge their troth to each other.
Prospero isn't finished with his sport of Antonio and Alonso, either. He creates a
magical banquet for the two men that vanishes whenever they try to eat. He also
sends Ariel in the guise of a harpy to hound them for their crimes against
Prospero. Later, at a masque to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Miranda and
Ferdinand, Prospero remembers Caliban's plot and abruptly calls the revels to a
halt. He sends Ariel to punish them as well; the spirit does so by first luring them
with some fancy clothes, then setting other island spirits upon them in the shape
of hunting dogs that chase them around the island.
Finally, Prospero confronts his brother and Alonso, revealing his true identity as
the rightful Duke of Milan. He demands that Antonio restore his throne; he also
rebukes Sebastian for plotting against his own brother. To Alonso, he reveals
Ferdinand alive and well, playing chess with Miranda. As a final act, Prospero
abandons his magic and releases Ariel and Caliban from their servitude. From
Ariel, Prospero asks for one last boon: calm seas and favorable winds for their
trip back to Naples.
http://www.bardweb.net/man.html
Source of The Tempest
Objective:
· The students will look for an underlying theme in The Tempest
· The students will discuss themes in literature
Events of 1609 the shipwreck and its aftermath: In writing The Tempest,
Shakespeare was undoubtedly influenced by a true story that everone in London
was talking about in 1610. In May 1609, nine ships with five hundred colonists
set out from England bound for Virginia. The idealistic settlers were on their way
to begin new lives in the newly founded colony. Their minds were fixed on the
riches reputed to be abundant in the New World. But on July 24, the flagship,
Sea-Adventure, became lost in a storm and wound up at Bermuda (the “stillvexed Bermoothes” Ariel speaks of in Act 1, scene 2). England mourned for
almost a year. Eventually, the crew and passengers arrived in Virginia on May
23, 1610. Many stories of the wreck, which at first was thought to be fatal, were
published, and the event was seen as a sign of divine providence.
Exercise: Discuss with the students what topical events from recent news might
make a good play or film. What elements make good drama?
Theme of the Play
Objective:
8
· The students will look for an underlying theme in The Tempest
· The students will discuss themes in literature
Exercise: As the students read and/or see The Tempest, ask them to look
beyond the comedy and find some deeper meaning in the play, beyond just the
plot. What are some of the themes that the students see in the play? Can a
piece of art or literature have different meanings to different observers?
Some themes the students might watch out for in The Acting Company
production include: Usurpation, Nature versus Nurture, Imprisonment and
Freedom, Forgiveness and Reconciliation, Illusion and Magic, Colonialism, Sleep
and Dreams, and Metamorphosis.
9
Section 4: The Theater
Overall Objective: The students will have a stronger understanding of the art of
the Theatre.
Brainstorm: Creating a Theatrical Production
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objective:
· The students will identify careers in the theater.
· The students will use The Acting Company website as a resource.
· The students will know the collaborative nature of theater.
Exercise: Ask the students to name some of the people who work to put a
theatrical production like The Tempest on stage. Write their answers on the
board. As the brainstorm continues, present information about the various
professions. When you attend the performance, see if your students can talk to
some of the professionals associated with The Acting Company.
Producer or Producing Organization
The producers raise the money needed to produce the play - the money allows
the Creative Team to build its vision of the play. Producers oversee all aspects
of the production and make sure that the play sticks to their artistic standards.
They often put together the package of Script, Director, Designers, and Cast.
The Acting Company is a not-for-profit organization, which means that money
to produce the plays comes from fund-raising through grants and donations
rather than from investors.
[a “Not-for-Profit” organization uses money raised from donors, foundations,
grants to do its work. A “Profit Making” or “For-Profit” organization gets money
from investors. The investors receive a percentage of the profit made by the
work.]
The Playwright
A "wright" is a type of artisan who makes things that people can use. A
wheelwright makes wheels. A playwright makes plays. Plays are of use to other
artists - Actors, Directors, Designers - who use the script to make their own
artistic statement. William Shakespeare is the playwright of The Tempest.
The Director
After reading the playwright's script, the director decides on an overall vision for
the production. The director meets with the Creative Team to assemble a unified
look for the sets, costumes, lighting, and other elements. The director oversees
the actors in rehearsal, often with the help of the Stage Manager. In the case of
The Tempest, director Giovanna Sardelli wanted to bring the script to life in a
new way and say something specific about the play and its themes.
10
The Actor
The Cast is the group of men, women, and children who perform the play. Many
people call all the performers “actors” (instead of “actors” and “actresses”), since
this is the professional term that applies to people of both genders. The
members of the cast may be seasoned actors or new to the stage. They may
have trained at different theater schools that teach acting in various ways. They
draw on their own experiences and understanding of life to create believable
characters. Actors usually audition for the parts they play. This means that they
had to work on the part and read, sing, or dance for the director and producers
before they were given the role. All of the actors had to memorize their lines and
attend many rehearsals, including some with costumes and props, before
opening night.
The Stage Manager
According to Carissa Dollar’s stage management website, “there is no single
definition or job description for the tasks performed by the person who accepts
the title of Stage Manager for any theatrical production.” However, according to
Actor's Equity Association (AEA) at least the following duties: organizes all
rehearsals, before or after opening; assembles and maintains the Prompt Book;
works with the Director and the Creative Team to schedule rehearsal and outside
calls; assumes active responsibility for the form and discipline of rehearsal and
performance and is the executive i nstrument in the technical running of each
performance; maintains the artistic intentions of the Director and Producer after
opening; keeps any records necessary to inform the Producer of attendance,
time, welfare benefits, etc.; and Maintains discipline.
The Voice and Dialect Coach
The Shakespearean language in The Tempest is very complex. Often a Voice
Coach acts as an advisor to the actors and director on the play. She is an expert
on the text, the meanings and nuances of the words, and their pronunciation.
She can assist the actors with the verse. She is an expert in the period language
of the script and helps the actors approach the text from a unified angle.
The Costume Designer
Costumes in a play must help the actors as they create the characte rs. The
costumes should not restrict the movement of the performers. The costume
designer and her staff work within the vision of the director for each character.
They choose colors and styles to help the audience better understand the
characters. They often do historical research to make the time period of the play
come to life. In this production of The Tempest, the costumes are simple.
The Staff and The Crew
The theatre staff - house manager, ushers, box office people, and others - assist
the audience in many ways and support each performance. In a large-scale
performance, backstage the Stage Managers and the running crew run the
lighting equipment, move the scenery, and make sure the technical aspects of
the performance are perfect. In the office, Marketing people work to make sure
people know about the performances and the Development staff makes sure the
producers have money to put on the play.
11
Exercise: Ask the students to see how many of the members of the cast, crew and
staff they can find at The Acting Company website: www.theactingcompany.org.
Feel free to have them correspond with the Company members through e-mail links.
Theater in the Time of William Shakespeare
This exercise is designed to be used AFTER seeing the play!
Objectives:
· The students will compare modern theatrical convention with theater in the
time of Shakespeare
Exercise: Verbally review the list below with the students. After The Acting
Company’s production of The Tempest, ask the students to compare the
conventions of the theater in Shakespeare’s day to the performance they have
just seen. For example, as in Shakespeare’s time, The Acting Company’s
production used little scenery so that the language would transport the audience.
Theater in the Time of William Shakespeare
· The theater building was open air.
· Performances started at 2:00 to make the most of daylight.
· The stage was usually bare.
· Elizabethan theaters held 1500 - 3000 people
· There was a balcony, called the "inner above" to be used if needed, but most
of the action took place downstage.
· When Shakespeare moved to London, he met with actor/manager Richard
Burbage and became a prompter, then he became an actor, and later he
became Burbage's star writer.
· Richard and Cuthbart Burbage opened "The Globe Theatre" in 1599.
· Shakespeare produced most of his plays in The Globe and became part
owner.
· After the death of Queen Elizabeth I in 1603, Shakespeare had to write plays
that would please the new King James I who had come from Scotland (one of
these is Macbeth).
· The Globe burned down in 1613 during a production of Shakespeare’s Henry
VIII, but then was rebuilt in 1614.
· Characters usually tell us where they are and what time of day it is in their
lines.
· Acting was not a well-respected profession at this time.
· Women were not allowed to perform on stage, so boys would perform all
female parts, including Kate and Bianca in The Tempest. Boys were
apprenticed to the acting companies between the ages of 6 and 14.
· Actors would have to learn many parts of a play, since up to three different
plays would be performed in the same week by a company.
· Actors usually wore their own clothes unless they were portraying someone
evil, royal, or female.
12
Humours
Objective:
· The students will know about the belief in Bodily Humours in Elizabethan
medicine
· The students will create scenes involving the Humours.
· The students will look for references to the Humours in The Tempest
Facts: In the time of Shakespeare, people believed that, in the human body, the
humours were natural bodily fluids that corresponded to the four elements (air,
earth, fire, and water) and had various qualities: cold, dry, hot, and moist.
Element
Humour
Fire
Choler (yellow bile)
Air
Blood
Water Phlegm
Earth
Melancholy (black bile)
Quality
hot and dry
hot and moist
cold and moist
cold and dry
Nature
Choleric (angry, temperamental)
Sanguine (jolly, lusty)
Phlegmatic (sluggish, slow)
Melancholic (sad, lovesick)
Many people believed that when the humours were all in balance in a person, he
or she is completely healthy. If they got out of balance, illness resulted. Doctors
would bleed their patients to restore the balance, because blood was considered
to have pre-eminence over the other humours.
When a piece of drama involves people with extreme emotions, indicative of
imbalances of the Humours, it was considered a “Humourous” piece. Often a
modern comedy contains people with heightened emotions and we dub it
“humorous.”
Exercise: Divide the class into four groups and assign each one of the four
Humours. Ask the students to create short scenes in which one or more of the
characters are showing signs of an excess of their assigned bodily humour. As
they prepare to see the play, they should listen for references to the Humours in
The Tempest and in other literature.
Discussion: No Girls Allowed!
Objective:
· The students will know the Elizabethan stage practice of having males play
female roles.
Facts: In the theater of Shakespeare’s time, the custom was for men and boys to
play all the female roles. The acting was considered an unfit career for women.
Actors, playwrights, and managers (like today’s producers) were thought to be a
notch above thieves.
Exercise: Discuss with your students this tradition. Many of them will have seen
“Shakespeare in Love.” Remind them that the character Viola in the film wants to
be an actor but is forbidden by the “Men Only” tradition. In order to be in the
theater, she must disguise herself as a young man. Ask the students if they can
name any female characters in Shakespeare that disguise themselves as men.
13
Does knowing that Lady Macbeth, Juliet, Titania, Portia, The Tempest’s Miranda,
and all the other female characters were played males change the students’
understanding of the characters?
Exercise: John “Pig” Pyke was a boy player in Shakespeare’s company. One of
the outstanding artifacts from this period was a letter written by “Pig” a woman he
considered his honorary theatre mom. Ask the students, as homework, to write a
letter from the boy actor who was given the role of Miranda to his mother.
Highlight what are the best and worst parts of the play to perform as a boy
playing a girl.
Casting
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objective:
· The students will create a cast list for a movie of The Tempest
Exercise: Ask the students, “If you were casting a movie of The Tempest, what
stars would you get to be in it?” Ask each to work independently and cast
Prospero, Miranda, Stephano and Trinculo. How would they cast Caliban and
Ariel and would there be many special effects needed to help those actors build
their characters? When casting Alonso and Ferdinand
Types of Theater Buildings
This exercise is designed to be used AFTER seeing the play!
Objective:
· The students will be able to identify different types of theatres.
· The students will weigh the benefits of each type of performance space.
· The students will use The Acting Company website as a resource.
· The students will write a report about a theater.
Discussion: In which types of theaters have the students seen plays, concerts,
or other live performances? In what type of theatre was The Acting Company’s
production of The Tempest performed? What might be the benefits of each type
of performance space? What might be the drawbacks of each?
Facts:
Three different types of performance space are most common in the theatre:
· The Proscenium Stage is the most common. The play is performed within a
frame. The frame is called a proscenium arch; the audience looks through
this frame as if the performance was a picture.
· The Thrust Stage extends into the audience. Spectators sit on three sides.
· Theatre-in-the-Round has the audience sitting all around the stage. The
action takes place on a platform in the center of the room. Another name for
a Theatre-in-the-Round is an Arena Stage because it is similar to a sports
arena.
Exercise: At The Acting Company website, www.theactingcompany.org, have
the students find the “Itinerary” page. Many of the theaters that the Company is
14
playing this year are linked to this page. The students can learn about different
types of theaters in different parts of the country from these links. Students can
write a report about one of the theaters where The Acting Company is performing
this year. Their report might include a map of the location, distance from the last
theater and to the next theater, and statistics about the theater (size, seating
capacity, ticket prices).
Exposition
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objectives:
· The students will do a close reading of a scene from The Tempest
· The students will write some expository dialogue.
One of the trickiest jobs of a writer of dramatic literature is telling the audience, at
the start of the play (or screenplay), what has happened before the story began.
This information is called “exposition.” A novel can use a narrator to deliver
exposition. The tricky part is not making the audience feel as if they are being
stuffed with lots of information.
Exercise: It is important, in The Tempest, for the audience to understand that
Prospero has raised the sea-storm and his servant, the spirit Ariel has overseen
the shipwreck so that no one on the ship has been injured. Ask the students to
read the selection from Act 1, scene 2 of The Tempest below and analyze
Shakespeare’s strategies for conveying the exposition to the audience. Does it
seem forced or is it smoothly revealed?
PROSPERO
Hast thou, spirit,
Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee?
ARIEL
To every article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROSPERO
My brave spirit!
Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil
Would not infect his reason?
ARIEL
Not a soul
But felt a fever of the mad and play'd
Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners
Plunged in the foaming brine and quit the vessel,
Then all afire with me: the king's son, Ferdinand,
With hair up-staring,--then like reeds, not hair,-Was the first man that leap'd; cried, 'Hell is empty
And all the devils are here.'
15
PROSPERO
But are they, Ariel, safe?
ARIEL
Not a hair perish'd;
On their sustaining garments not a blemish,
But fresher than before: and, as thou badest me,
In troops I have dispersed them 'bout the isle.
The king's son have I landed by himself;
Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs
In an odd angle of the isle and sitting,
His arms in this sad knot.
Exercise: Ask the students to write a short scene in which information is
conveyed to the audience through the dialogue.
Still Images: These Our Actors…
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objectives:
· The students will do a close reading of a speech from The Tempest
· The students will create tableaux based on images in the speech
· The students will create a movement piece based on the speech
Exercise: Prospero’s “Our Revels Now are Ended” speech is one of the most
famous passage in The Tempest. Provide each student with the following
passage from the play. Ask eight students to each take one of the sections of
the speech and divide the rest of the class among the sections. Introduce the
idea of “tableau” to the class. Tableaux are living sculptures or frozen images
made up of living actors’ bodies. Tell them that the poses they adopt in their
tableau should be both easy to maintain for a few minutes (avoid one foot off the
floor, for example) and easy to recreate.
Begin with each reader reciting his part in order so the class can get a sense of
the whole speech. Break the class into separate groups by section. The readers
and the others should prepare a series of still images to illustrate the passage.
Allow them about five minutes for this process. Give a warning to the group when
they have a minute left and ask the groups to rehearse what they are going to
present to the class. Reconvene the class as a whole and place them in a circle
with a playing space in the center. Ask the readers to read the passages in order
while the other members of each group present their tableaux. Follow the
presentation with a discussion. You may wish to show the whole piece a second
time before discussing.
If the students are willing and the piece is worthy, you may wish to work their
piece into a performance for other classes or to be shown as part of a school
assembly.
16
PROSPERO
Our revels no w are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud -capp'd towers,
the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples,
the great globe itself,
Ye all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind.
We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
The Tempest, Act 4, Scene 1
Why Theater?
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play with a followup section AFTER the performance.
Objective:
· The students will explore the importance of theater.
Exercise: Give each student a copy of the following quote from George Cram
Cook (1873 –1924), founder of New York’s Provincetown Playhouse (artistic
home of Eugene O’Neill). Ask each student to identify the two reasons Cook
gives for the importance of theater, especially in time of crisis. Are they
important and relevant today? Are there other reasons?
Ask the students to write a paragraph or two, based on the passage, in which
they explore the importance of Theater (or the Arts in general) in post-September
11 America. Have volunteers share them with the class.
After seeing the performance, ask the students which reason (as a means of
escape or as a gateway for imagination) does The Tempest provide? Or does it
do something else? Can theater provide different things for different people?
Can it provide many things for an individual?
In these times of heightened national security and worldwide terror, we found the
following 1918 quote to be relevant, moving, and insightful 83 years later.
17
“Seven of the Provincetown Players are in the army or working for it in France
and more are going. Not lightheartedly now, when civilization itself is threatened
with destruction, we who remain have determined to go on next season with the
work of our little theatre.
It is often said that theatrical entertainment in general is socially justified in this
dark time as a means of relaxing the strain of reality, and thus helping to keep
us sane. This may be true, but if more were not true - if we felt no deeper value
in dramatic art than entertainment, we would hardly have the heart for it now.
One faculty, we know, is going to be of vast importance to the half-destroyed
world - indispensable for its rebuilding - the faculty of creative imagination. That
spark of it, which has given this group of ours such life and meaning as we have,
is not so insignificant that we should now let it die. The social justification, which
we feel to be valid now for makers and players of plays, is that they shall help
keep alive in the world the light of imagination. Without it, the wreck of the
world that was cannot be cleared a way and the new world shaped."
George Cram Cook, founder of New York’s Provincetown Playhouse, 1918
18
Theatre Etiquette
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objective:
· The students will know standard rules of behavior in the theatre.
To make the theatre-going experience more enjoyable for everyone, a code of
behavior has been established. When attending theatrical performances,
remember these simple rules of conduct.
v Be on time for the performance.
v Eat and drink only in the theatre lobby.
v Turn off all cellular phones and pagers.
v Talk before and after the performance or during the intermissions
only. Remember that the people near you and on stage can hear
you.
v Appropriate responses to the performances, such as laughing
and applauding, are appreciated.
v Act with maturity during romantic, violent, and other challenging
scenes.
v Keep your feet off chairs around you.
v Read your program before or after, not during, the play.
v Personal hygiene (e.g., combing hair, applying make-up, etc.)
should be attended to in the restrooms.
v Once you are seated and the play has begun, stay in your seat.
If you see empty seats ahead of you, ask the usher during the
intermission if you can move to them.
v Always stay until after the curtain call. After the final curtain,
relax and take your time leaving.
v Open your eyes, ears, and mind to the entire theatrical
experience!
19
Prepare for Q & A Session
This exercise is designed to be used BEFORE seeing the play!
Objective:
· The students will create questions for the post-performance Q & A session
Exercise: To make the post-performance Question and Answer session more
beneficial to everyone, the students might create a few questions before the
performance. Ask the students to think what questions they might want to ask
the actors in the play? Here are some starter questions:
Are there questions about the theater as an art form? Does it require training?
Where did the actors train? Can a person make a living in the theater? What
careers are there in the theater? Are any of the students aspiring actors? Are
they seeking advice
Are there questions about traveling the country? Have the actors seen a lot of
the United States? What is the bus like? How many hours do they spend on the
bus? Does everybody get along?
What about life in New York City? How long have the actors lived there? And
where are they from originally? (Have any of the students ever been in NYC?)
How has New York City survived the September 11th Tragedy? What is the best
part of living in New York? What is the worst?
What about The Tempest, the play? How has it been received in places across
the country? What is the best part about working on this play? What have been
its drawbacks? Is fun working on Shakespeare? What do the actors think the
themes of the play are?
NOTE: If there are questions that your students have after the company departs,
feel free to contact the Education Department of The Acting Company, and we
will get an answer for you!
Section 6: What to Do After You See This Play
Please encourage your students to reflect on the play in some of the following
ways. We would love to have copies of some of the writings or artwork your
students create: The Acting Company, Box 898, New York, NY 10108
or fax 212-258-3299. We have also included in the appendix short pre- and
post-performance questionnaires, and would be interested in gathering data
about the play.
Write
·
·
·
·
Write a play or scene in response to the play.
Improvise a scene with a partner and then write it down.
Write a soliloquy for one of the characters in The Tempest.
Write a scene for two of the characters in the play that you think we should
have seen but that was not in Shakespeare’s play. For example, a prologue
scene set in Milan between Prospero and his brother Antonio before the
coup.
· Write an epilogue. For example, what happens to Miranda and Ferdinand
after the story ends? How about Trinculo and Stephano? Prospero and
Antonio? Brothers King Alonso and Sebastian?
· Write a review of our production.
· Write a theatrical adaptation of another piece of literature, perhaps a short
story.
Draw
·
·
·
·
Draw the world of the Duke’s Court and the world of Arden.
Draw images from the production.
Draw a poster for our production of The Tempest.
Create a collage of images from magazines in response to the play.
Create a Performance of Scenes from The Tempest
Shakespeare’s plays were written to be performed, not read. After seeing the
play, the students may be excited about exploring this text or one of the other
plays further. Find or make a cutting and work up some of the scenes with your
students. Switch actors playing the roles from scene to scene, to give everyone
a chance to play a part, perhaps having one simple prop or costume piece to
indicate which character each is playing (e.g., a cape for Prospero) that can be
passed from actor to actor. The students do not have to memorize the words but
can carry scripts in their hands. Perform the scenes in class, just for yourselves,
for invited guests (like the Principal and the Secretary), or for another class.
We recommend the Shakespeare for Young People series edited by Diane
Davidson (Swan Books, ISBN 0934048274) or Cass Foster’s Sixty Minute
Shakespeare (Five Star Publications)
21
Read and Research more
Check out some of the following Web Addresses:
Complete Text of the Play: www.theplays.org/asyoulikeit/
SparkNotes on the Play: www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/asyoulikeit/
More Lesson Plans:
http://www.penguinputnam.com/static/packages/us/academic/resources/guides/s
hakasyou/frame.htm
Shakespeare Online Resource Centers: www.bardweb.net
www.shakespeare-online.com/
www.navdeeps.com/shakespeare
http://renaissance.dm.net/compendium/
www.ulen.com/shakespeare/
National Council of Teachers of English: http://www.ncte.org/
22
We Want to Hear from YOU and your STUDENTS!
By Mail
The Acting Company
PO Box 898
New York NY 10108
Telephone: 212-258-3111
Fax: 212-258-3299
By E-Mail
Paul Fontana, Curriculum Specialist
Pfontana@ TheActingCompany.org
Stephen Alemán, Director of Education
Saleman@ TheActingCompany.org
Education@TheActingCompany
On the Internet
www.TheActingCompany.org
Internships
Please submit a letter of interest and your resume along with two references to
the Intern Coordinator at the address above. You can call or check the website
for more information.
Questionnaires and FREE Posters!
You will find a Pre-Performance and a Post-Performance Questionnaires on
pages 33 and 34 of this guide. Please have your students fill out the PrePerformance Survey before you begin working on exercises from this guide. Ask
them to fill out the Post-Performance Survey after seeing The Tempest.
Send them to us at the above address and we will send you a POSTER from one
of The Acting Company’s p roductions as a “Thank You.”
23
Section 7: The Acting Company
The Acting Company, America’s only nationally-touring classical repertory
theater, was founded in 1972 by current Producing Director Margot Harley and
the late John Houseman with a unique mission:
+ By touring smaller cities, towns and rural communities of America, the
Company reaches thousands of people who have few opportunities to
experience live professional theater.
+ By presenting superior productions of classic and contemporary plays,
the Company builds a discerning national audience for theater, helping
preserve and extend our cultural heritage.
+ By providing continuing opportunities for gifted and highly-trained young
actors to practice their craft in a rich repertoire for diverse audiences, the
Company nurtures the growth and development of generations of theater
artists.
+ By commissioning and premiering important new works by America’s
foremost playwrights, the Company fosters a theater tradition in which
story-telling, language and the presence of the actor are primary.
+ By making the language of the theater accessible in performance,
special classes and other educational outreach activities, the Company
inspires students of all ages and helps them excel in every field of study.
The Acting Company has been fulfilling this singular mission since it was formed
out of the first graduating class of the Juilliard School's Drama Division in 1972.
Since then, it has traveled over 500,000 miles through 48 states and nine other
countries, performing a repertoire of 77 plays for more than 2 million people.
Trace Our Tour
If the students want to follow the tour as it progresses across the United States,
they can read the Tour Journal (on our website www.theactingcompany.org) and
see pictures of the places we visit. You can check in with us every day, check
the itinerary, and see where we are on the map.
24
Section 8: Cast List and Information
THE ACTING COMPANY
In
THE TEMPEST
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Giovanna Sardelli
Vocal Coach Liz Smith
Fight Direction by Felix Ivanov
Production Manager Bonnie J. Baggesen
Stage Manager Janice Brandine
Staff Repertory Director Giovanna Sardelli
CAST
()
ALONSO, the king of Naples......................................................................Evan Zes
SEBASTIAN, Alonso’s brother ............................................................ Peter Zazzali
PROSPERO, the rightful duke of Milan......................................Lamont Stephens
ANTONIO, Prospero’s brother, who usurped his title ...................Paul Cosentino
FERDINAND, the king of Naples’s son...............................................Joe Osheroff
CALIBAN, a deformed creature who is Prospero’s slave ................Joe Osheroff
TRINCULO, a clown ....................................................................................Evan Zes
STEPHANO, a drunken butler ............................................................ Peter Zazzali
MIRANDA, Prospero’s daughter ......................................................Christen Simon
ARIEL, a spirit of the air ....................................................................Christen Simon
SHIP’S MASTER.............................................................................................Various
BOATSWAIN....................................................................................................Various
SPIRITS ............................................................................................................Various
25
Section 9: Bibliography
Barton, Robert, Style for Actors. Mayfield Publishing Company: Mountain View,
CA, 1993.
Davis, James E. and Ronald E. Salomone (Eds.). Teaching Shakespeare
Today: Practical Approaches and Productive Strategies. National Council
of Teachers of English: Illinois, 1993.
Engen, Barbara and Joy Campbell. Elementary, My Dear Shakespeare. Market
Masters: Utah, 1995.
Foster, Cass and Lynn G. Johnson. Shakespeare: To teach or not to teach. Five
Star Publications: Arizona, 1994.
Gibson, Rex. Teaching Shakespeare. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge,
UK, 1998.
Gurr, Andrew. William Shakespeare: The Extraordinary Life of the Most
Successful Writer of All Time. HarperPerrennial: New York, 1995.
O’Brien, Peggy. Shakespeare Set Free. Washington Square Press: New York,
1995
Pincess, Gerald M. and Roger Lockyer (Eds). Shakespeare's World: Background
Readings in the English Renaissance. A Frederick Ungar Book: New
York, 1990.
Richler, Howard. Take My Words: A Wordaholic's Guide to the English
Language. Ronsdale Press: Vancouver, 1996.
Shakespeare, William, The Tempest. (Cambridge School Shakespeare Edition)
Cambridge University Press: Cambridge, UK, 2000.
26
Appendix: Reproducibles
For use with Characters in The Tempest, p. 6-7
Cast of Characters
PROSPERO, the rightful Duke of Milan
MIRANDA, his daughter
ANTONIO, his brother,
the usurping Duke of Milan
ALONSO, King of Naples
SEBASTIAN, his brother
FERDINAND, Alonso’s son
ARIEL, an airy spirit serving Prospero
CALIBAN, a savage and deformed native
of the island, Prospero’s slave
TRINCULO, Alonso’s jester
STEPHANO, Alonso’s drunken butler
27
For use with The Plot, p. 8
The Plot
Prospero, a sorcerer and the rightful Duke of Milan, dwells on an enchanted isle
with his daughter, Miranda. Twelve years earlier, the duke's brother, Antonio, and
Alonso, the King of Naples, conspired to usurp his throne. They set Prospero and
Miranda adrift in a boat, and they eventually found themselves marooned on the
island. Prospero is served on his island by Ariel, a spirit who he freed from a tree
with magic, and Caliban, son of the witch Sycorax. When magic reveals that a
ship bearing his old enemies is sailing near the island, Prospero summons a
storm to wreck their ship. The survivors make it to shore in scattered groups.
Among these is Ferdinand, the son of Alonso. He is lulled to Prospero's abode by
the singing of Ariel; there he meets Miranda, who is enthralled with the young
prince.
Meanwhile, Antonio, Alonso, Sebastian, and Gonzalo wander the island in
search of Ferdinand. Antonio now plots with Sebastian to murder Alonso, but this
plot is thwarted by Ariel. Elsewhere on the island, Stephano and Trinculo
encounter Caliban. After sharing a few drinks, Caliban tries to enlist the two in a
plot to kill Prospero and rule the island himself. He even promises Miranda to
Stephano. Ariel, however, reports all these goings-on to Prospero. In the
meantime, Miranda and Ferdinand pledge their troth to each other.
Prospero isn't finished with his sport of Antonio and Alonso, either. He creates a
magical banquet for the two men that vanishes whenever they try to eat. He also
sends Ariel in the guise of a harpy to hound them for their crimes against
Prospero. Later, at a masque to celebrate the upcoming marriage of Miranda and
Ferdinand, Prospero remembers Caliban's plot and abruptly calls the revels to a
halt. He sends Ariel to punish them as well; the spirit does so by first luring them
with some fancy clothes, then setting other island spirits upon them in the shape
of hunting dogs that chase them around the island.
Finally, Prospero confronts his brother and Alonso, revealing his true identity as
the rightful Duke of Milan. He demands that Antonio restore his throne; he also
rebukes Sebastian for plotting against his own brother. To Alonso, he reveals
Ferdinand alive and well, playing chess with Miranda. As a final act, Prospero
abandons his magic and releases Ariel and Caliban from their servitude. From
Ariel, Prospero asks for one last boon: calm seas and favorable winds for their
trip back to Naples.
28
For use with Exposition, p. 13
PROSPERO
Hast thou, spirit,
Perform'd to point the tempest that I bade thee?
ARIEL
To every article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PROSPERO
My brave spirit!
Who was so firm, so constant, that this coil
Would not infect his reason?
ARIEL
Not a soul
But felt a fever of the mad and play'd
Some tricks of desperation. All but mariners
Plunged in the foaming brine and quit the vessel,
Then all afire with me: the king's son, Ferdinand,
With hair up-staring,--then like reeds, not hair,-Was the first man that leap'd; cried, 'Hell is empty
And all the devils are here.'
PROSPERO
But are they, Ariel, safe?
ARIEL
Not a hair perish'd;
On their sustaining garments not a blemish,
But fresher than before: and, as thou badest me,
In troops I have dispersed them 'bout the isle.
The king's son have I landed by himself;
Whom I left cooling of the air with sighs
In an odd angle of the isle and sitting,
His arms in this sad knot.
The Tempest, Act 1, scene 1
29
For use with Still Images: These our Actors…, p. 15
PROSPERO
Our revels now are ended. These our actors,
As I foretold you, were all spirits and
Are melted into air, into thin air:
And, like the baseless fabric of this vision,
The cloud -capp'd towers,
the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples,
the great globe itself,
Ye all which it inherit, shall dissolve
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind.
We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.
The Tempest, Act 4, Scene 1
30
For use with Why Theatre?, p. 15-16
In these times of heightened national security and worldwide terror, we found the
following 1918 quote to be relevant, moving, and insightful 83 years later.
“Seven of the Provincetown Players are in the army or working for it in France
and more are going. Not lightheartedly now, when civilization itself is threatened
with destruction, we who remain have determined to go on next season with the
work of our little theatre.
It is often said that theatrical entertainment in general is socially justified in this
dark time as a means of relaxing the strain of reality, and thus helping to keep
us sane. This may be true, but if more were not true - if we felt no deeper value
in dramatic art than entertainment, we would hardly have the heart for it now.
One faculty, we know, is going to be of vast importance to the half-destroyed
world - indispensable for its rebuilding - the faculty of creative imagination. That
spark of it, which has given this group of ours such life and meaning as we have,
is not so insignificant that we should now let it die. The social justification, which
we feel to be valid now for makers and players of plays, is that they shall help
keep alive in the world the light of imagination. Without it, the wreck of the
world that was cannot be cleared away and the new world shaped."
George Cram Cook, founder of New York’s Provincetown Playhouse, 1918
31
For use with Theater Etiquette, p. 17
Theater Etiquette
To make the theatre-going e xperience more enjoyable for everyone, a code of
behavior has been established. When attending theatrical performances,
remember these simple rules of conduct.
v Be on time for the performance.
v Eat and drink only in the theatre lobby.
v Turn off all cellular phones and pagers.
v Talk before and after the performance or during the intermissions
only. Remember that the people near you and on stage can hear
you.
v Appropriate responses to the performances, such as laughing
and applauding, are appreciated.
v Act with maturity during romantic, violent, and other challenging
scenes.
v Keep your feet off chairs around you.
v Read your program before or after, not during, the play.
v Personal hygiene (e.g., combing hair, applying make-up, etc.)
should be attended to in the restrooms.
v Once you are seated and the play has begun, stay in your seat.
If you see empty seats ahead of you, ask the usher during the
intermission if you can move to them.
v Always stay until after the curtain call. After the final curtain,
relax and take your time leaving.
v Open your eyes, ears, and mind to the entire theatrical
experience
32
Pre-Performance Questionnaire
Please rate the following statements on a scale from 1 to 7. “1” represents something with
which you strongly disagree “7” represents something with which you strongly agree. Circle the
number that best matches your feelings.
I feel excited about seeing The Tempest.
Disagree
1
2
3
Agree
4
5
6
I want to learn more about Theater.
Disagree
1
2
3
I have been to see plays before.
None
1
2
Agree
4
5
6
Some
3
4
5
Name some plays you have seen?
6
2
3
4
5
6
2
2
3
4
5
6
3
2
3
7
Agree
4
5
6
Theater is more real than television and movies.
Disagree
1
7
Agree
Seeing a play can teach me about life.
Disagree
1
7
Agree
I like Shakespeare’s writing.
Disagree
1
7
Many
Theater is fun!
Disagree
1
7
4
Agree
5
Comments:
Student Initials:
33
7
6
7
Post-Performance Questionnaire
After seeing The Tempest, please rate the following statements on a scale from 1 to 7. “1”
represents something with which you strongly disagree “7” represents something with which you
strongly agree. Circle the number that best matches your feelings.
I enjoyed seeing The Tempest.
Disagree
1
2
3
Agree
4
5
6
I want to learn more about Theater.
Disagree
1
2
3
Agree
4
5
6
The Tempest was better than other plays I have seen before.
Disagree
Agree
1
6
2
3
4
5
I want to see more theater.
Disagree
1
2
2
3
4
5
2
2
7
Agree
3
4
5
6
3
4
3
4
5
6
7
Agree
5
Comments:
Student Initials:
34
7
Agree
Theater is more real than television and movies.
Disagree
1
I have
never
seen a
play.
6
Seeing The Tempest taught me something about life.
Disagree
1
7
Agree
I like Shakespeare’s writing.
Disagree
1
7
6
7